WHAT: Help kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with Susan G. Komen San Diego, the County’s largest provider of free breast health and cancer resources and services, at their free Mammogram event. The event is made possible by Plaza Home Mortgage. Individuals who are underinsured or uninsured are encouraged to obtain breast cancer screenings at this event.

Additionally, for the third year in a row, for every funded mortgage loan in October, Plaza Home Mortgage will make a donation to Susan G. Komen in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The donation is based on the size of each funded mortgage loan. Since the beginning of this partnership, Plaza has donated nearly $250,000 to Susan G. Komen and this year will be contributing $73,065 based on 2014 mortgage sales.

Plaza Home Mortgage’s donation helps Susan G. Komen provide free services during every step of the breast cancer journey, including education, outreach, free mammograms, financial assistance for living expenses, food assistance, transportation and more. This donation also helps fund the largest investment in breast cancer research in the world next to the U.S. government.

WHERE: Northgate Gonzales Market

1410 S 43rd St. San Diego, CA 92113

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
To make an appointment for the free mammogram event, call (619) 662-4199

Walk-ins also accepted, but we encourage calling in advance.

BEST TIME TO COVER: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

INTERVIEWS AND VISUALS:

Members of the community waiting in line to receive free screenings.

Compelling interviews with breast cancer survivors including Wendy Shurelds. Wendy worked at a local university for 14 years, and was laid off, found herself without insurance and turned to Susan G. San Diego for her mammogram. When she found out she had breast cancer, the organization paid for her diagnostics and for her treatments. Wendy is now a two-year breast cancer survivor.

Susan G. Komen Mobile Mammogram Bus.

Laura Farmer Sherman, president & CEO, Susan G. Komen San Diego is available to speak about the importance of mammograms as well as the organization’s impact on breast cancer in San Diego County.

Alicia Wadsworth, Plaza Home Mortgage, who can speak to why they support the organization.

Teresa Blanco, Northgate Gonzalez Market, who can speak why they support the organization. She is fluent in Spanish.

Lots of people rocking pink to officially kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT:

For women without health coverage, the burden is even higher as uninsured women have a 30 to 50 percent increased risk of dying from breast cancer than those with insurance.

We have come a long way in the fight on breast cancer. But there is still work to be done. In San Diego, 6 women a day are told the words you have breast cancer and unfortunately one woman a day passes away.

This shouldn’t be. We know that that if caught early enough, the most common type of breast cancer is 99% survivable.